Vulcanized or sulphurized oil composition



Patented May 23, 1933 were stares Humor-nee ARMANI) 1m WAELE, or OLD SOUTHGATE, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR r0 n; 'ens rn'rnnn, LIMITED, or LONDON, ENGLAND VULCANIZED on. snnrnomznn on. coMrosIrIoiv No Drawing. Application filed September 12, 1927, Ser1a1, 1\To.. 219,177, and in Great Britain November 3, 1926. a

of unsaturated fatty acids present in the oil but also upon the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids of which esters are present andjalso upon the existence'in the 011s of esters of oxy fatty acids.

v. Briefly it may be stated that the velocity v of "the, reaction between sulphur chloride or, equivalent vulcanizing agents and esters of unsaturated fatty acids is low in the case of esters of such non-hydroxy fatty acids as contain only one double bond, while in the case of esters of fatty acids the'molecule of which contains more than one double bond, for instance esters of linolic and linolenic acid, it is high and it is also high in the case of esters of hydroxy fatty acids such as ricinoleic acid and the oxy fatty acids produced by blowing oils. 7

In consequence of the variation not only in the character of the esters of unsaturated fatty acids in oils but in their content of such esters the behavior of oils when subjected to the action of sulphur chloride varies considerably" and the productsobtained eX-. i hibit widely varying properties. 'It'maybe stated generally that the oils yielding gels, which from the point of view of their mechanical strength possess desirable properties, are those between which and sulphur :hloride the reaction is most energetic or violent and which are prone toproduce spongy products owing to'the formation ofgaseousor vaporous products within the reaction The difiiculties in theway of obtaining coherent masses of relatively mechanically strong vulcanizedoil compositions, owing to the energetic character of the reaction between the vulcanizing agent and suitable oils, have been overcome in forming, for in stance, printing rollers by introducing the mixture of .oil and sulphur chloride into a mold which is rotated at high speed in order to force the composition against the wall of the mold which has been suitablytreated to facilitatethe separation or 1 withdrawal of the molded mass. The rotation of the mold is resorted toin order that the air imprisoned in the composition or the gases and vapors formed by the reaction inv the vulcanized oil mass maybe separated and with in the shell of vulcanized oil I composition thus produced a further quantity of a similar composition is introduced I A further means of overcoming the di fl'iculties consequent upon the energetic char acter of the reaction resulting in the formation of gaseous or vaporous by-products involves the introduction of'the mixture of oil and sulphur chloride into a substantially rigid or non-distensible mold so as com} pletely to fill the same, the composition being subjected while in the mold to high pressure until the desired reactions have taken place or progressed suflicientlyto form a relatively rigid gel. v

The present invention is based on the ob servation'that by using esters of the hi her. unsaturated fatty acids, in which one o the hydrogensof the fatty acid residue is substituted by an atom or group which is electro-negative butis less electro-negative than the hydroxyl group, the vulcanizing reaction when using an agent,'such as sulphur chloride, is moderated or retarded while the products obtained may possess properties} rendering them more suitable for use for a variety of technical purposes than the prod? uclts obtained by similarly treating fatty 01 s.

The invention therefore consistsin the production of elasticmasses of the general character of vulcanized oil compositions which comprises subjecting an ester of an unsaturated higher fatty acid, in which one 90 tuted by an acyl group, to the action of a vul-' 253 in order toobtain the esters which are used of the hydrogens of the fatty acid residue has been replaced by a substituent, namely, an atom or group which is electro-negative but which is less electro-negative than the hydroxyl group, to the action of a vulcanizing agent, for example sulphur chloride, sulphur thiocyanate, dithiocyanogen and the like.

The invention consists more particularly in subjecting esters of the higher oxy or hydroxy unsaturated fatty acids, in which the hydrogen of the hydroxyl group is substicanizing agent.

While there are fatty acids falling withinthe classes above specified, relatively few of them be of interest or be available for the production of commercial products. Thus theocapacity of many of the bodies falling withinjthese classes to produce vulcanized products is more of theoretical than of practical interest. Further, the esters in question will not nor-: mally be employed in their pure state but in admixture with esters of other fatty acids as in accordance with the invention it'will'normally be preferable to employ naturally-occurring or commercial products which consist of glycerine esters'of hydroxy fatty acids 303 in association with glycerine esters of satuunsatuance with the invention the choice of the substituent atom or group will berestricted to chlorine or the acetyl, formyl or carbonate group.

Highly satisfactory results have been obtained in accordance with the invention by the use of acetylated castor oil and acetylated blown oils.

When using acetylated castor oil the oil alone or in admixture with other oils is brought together with the vulcanizing agent, for instance sulphur chloride, and the mix-- ture introducedinto a mold or the like in order that the reaction between the vulcanizing agent and the acetylated oilmay pro ceed.

The reaction is relatively slow and thus the introduction of the material into the mold can be efiiected without difficulty whereas when using 'castor oil itself together with sulphur-chloride the reaction is so rapid and violent that difliculty is experienced in filling the reaction mixture into the mold. This difficulty may beof little importance when producing gran'ularor spongy proda large number of esters of known procedure referred to in a ucts adaptedto be subsequently worked upwith rubber or other resins, further quantities of oil or the like, but when attempting to produce coherent masses, such for instance as printing rollers, the high velocity of the reaction between sulphur chloride and oils containing considerable proportions of esters of unsaturated oxy fatty acids or of esters of highly unsaturated fatty acids gives rise to very great difliculties.

Where necessary or desirable additions of oils, fats or waxes adapted to react with the vulcanizing agents used or fillers, diluents, accelerators or retarding agents may be made to or associated with esters of the character specified. Further, the control or regulation of the conditions as to temperature and the like under which the reaction is allowed to progress may be resorted to.

In some cases, in accordance with theinvention, it may be desirable to take steps either to prevent the formation of bubbles in the reaction mass or to eliminate the gasesure. In other words, the procedure in forming such coherent masses may follow the preceding portion ofthis specification. In conclusion it is to be observed that the aboveldescription is furnished for the 'purpose of indicating the nature of the invention and of describing by way of example suitable'manners of carrying the same into effect and consequently many changes and modifications as well as variations'in the character'of the initial materials may be made without exceeding the scope of the present application.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let'- ters Patent is V v l. The process of producing ceherent elastic bodies which comprises subjecting to theaction of sulphur chloride acetylated castor oil.

2. Coherent elastic masses resembling rubber comprising cold vulcanized acetylated, castor oil. f 3. Coherent elastic masses resembling rubber comprising sulphur chloride vulcanized v acetylated castor voil. o 4;, Coherent elastic masses of'a rubber-lilfe character comprising the cold vulcanized product of an oily material containing an ester of a higher hydroxy unsaturated acid of the fatty series in which one of the hydrogen atoms .of the fatty acid have been replaced by a s'ubstituent material'selec'ted from a group 7 including the element chlorine, or the acetyl,

formyl or carbonate groups.

5. The process of producing elastic masses of the general character of vulcanized oil compositions which comprises subjecting, to

the action of sulphur chloride, an oily material containing an ester of a higher hydroxy unsaturated acid of the fatty series in which .one of the hydrogen atoms of the fatty acid have been replaced by a substituent material selected from a group including the element chlorine, or the acetyl, formyl or carbonate groups.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARMAND DE WAELE. 

